Why can China build an 800-mile high-speed rail line in three years, while a similar US project takes decades and costs billions more? The answer reveals the fundamental DNA of two global powers.

In this episode, we unpack provocative new book, Breakneck, which frames China as a relentless "engineering state" and the United States as a procedure-obsessed "lawyerly society." We explore the astonishing speed of China's transformation—and its brutal human cost—and contrast it with America's procedural paralysis and its own forgotten heritage as a nation of builders. This is a powerful new lens to understand the defining geopolitical contest of our time, moving beyond simple labels to decode the core "operating systems" of these two clashing giants.

为什么中国能在三年内建成一条800英里的高铁，而美国类似的项目却需要数十年和天价预算？答案揭示了两个全球大国最底层的基因密码。

在本期节目中，我们将深度解读新书《Breakneck》。书中提出了一个极具挑战性的框架：中国是一个不懈的“工程国家”，而美国则是一个沉迷于程序的“律师社会”。我们将一同探讨中国惊人转变速度背后的巨大代价，并将其与美国当下的程序性瘫痪，以及其被遗忘的“建设者”历史进行对比。这是一个理解我们时代最关键地缘政治博弈的全新视角，它将带你超越简单的标签，去解码这两个相互碰撞的巨人的核心“操作系统”。

书籍信息:

• 书名: Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future


• 出版日期: 2025年8月26日